Lubricating system on track roller



Oct. 14, 1952 w. o. BECHMAN 2,614,006

' LUBRICATING sYsTEMoN TRACK ROLLER Filed may 5, 195o ,zgiiil rllllllll f m l55 56 27 /,fgy/ 28 2 l 2s 54 2Q /A AT T'Y latented ct. 14, 195.2

LUBRICATING SYSTEM N TRACK ROLLER William 0. Bechman, Chicago, Ill., assigner to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,373

. Claims. 1

This invention has to do with track roller assemblies utilizable upon the track frames of crawler tractors, and more particularly concerns an improved type of bearing and lubricating passage construction for such assemblies.

Supporting rollers Afor crawler tractor vehicles and which roll upon the upper side of the groundengaging flights of endless tracks for such vehicles operate under conditions requiring that they be copiously lubricated. These rollers are frequently subjected to high pressure shock loads. They also are rotated at high speed and because of their earth-contiguous environment are sometimes poorly ventilated, and at other times heat dissipation is retarded by hot dusty or loose soil ambient to the rollers. These dust particles would have a deleterious abrasive action on the bearing surfaces if allowed to come in contact therewith. Another potential source of abrasive particles is muddy water in which the rollers are commonly immersed during operation of the vehicle. It is imperative, therefore, that the bearings forthese rollers shall be thoroughly sealed for preventing ingress of foreign particles and that the lubricating system be capable of completely loading lubricant-receiving interstices within the bearing after which the lubricant inlet shall be tightly closed.

' The track rollers andbearings are conveniently accessible only from the outer end of bearing shafts which are mounted in thevtracl; frame rwherefore a further limitation upon the design of the lubricating passage system for these bearings is that they shall be capable of complete lubricant servicing through anvinlet port at the outer ends of their shafts, Assurance that lubricant is supplied to the bearing'passages and lubricant-receiving chambers in sufficient quantity has heretofore been accomplished in bearing assemblies using roller bearing units by causing the lubricant to be delivered to the bearing assembly at the remote side of the roller bearing unit most remote from the outer end of the shaft and then to feed back between the rollers of the roller bearing units to an outlet passage which also communicates with the outer end of the shaft, wherefore when lubricant is forced into the inlet passage by pressure, lubricant will eventually be discharged through the outlet passage adjacently to the inlet passage as a conadaptation of this type of lubricating'system to a track roller assembly employing sleeve bearings instead of roller bearing units. This has been accomplished by placing passages in the roller supporting shaft which is secured non-rotatively in the track frame. Y The lubricant can return through these passages instead of through the spaces 'between the roller bearing unit rollers.

A further object is the provision ofa track roller and bearing assembly wherein there are annular receiving chambers extending about and spaced lengthwise of the roller supporting shaft and wherein there is a lubricant transfer passage extending diagonally downwardly 'through the shaft from an upper -portion of one of vsuch chambers into the bottom of which lubricantis rst admitted so that as the level of the lubricant rises the air is forced from this chamber to facilitate it being filled with lubricant preceding discharge of the lubricant through ,theY diagonal passage. By this control of the flow of lubricant admitted into the track roller and bearing assembly, minimization of air pockets and -'complete filling of the lubricant-receiving chambers with lubricant is assured. I

A further object is the ,provision of a track roller and bearing assembly wherein there are a plurality of axially spaced sleeve bearingsextending about a non-rotatable shaft and wherein axially spaced annular lubricant-receiving chambers at the ends of these bearing sleeves are serially connected by lubricant transfer passages serially inter-communicative and leading diagonally downwardly through the shaft from the upper part of an annular chamber at one end'of the bearing to the lower part of the lubricantreceiving chamber at the opposite end'ofsuch bearing to supply this latter chamber with lubricant which is dischargeable therefrom through a diagonal passage leading diagonally downwardly lthrough the shaft from an upper part of this secvenient manifestation to the operator when the bearing has been completely lubricated. A prior system of this character is shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,283,871, Norelius.

An important object of this invention is theA ond lubricant-receiving chamber adjacently to an end of a second sleeve bearing tothe lower part of an annular lubricant-receiving.chamber at the. opposite end of the second sleeve bearing, facilitating complete and successive filling of the lubricant chambers which are inter-communicative through these diagonal passages.

Still another object is the provision of `Va track roller and bearing assembly wherein lthere is a shaft non-rotatively supported in Va trackframe together with sleeve-bearing means".non-rota tively supported upon the shaftand a track'roller Journalled upon the sleeve bearing means, and the sleeve-bearing means being of 'a'bearing maceiving' a sealing element 32.

end portion 33 of the hanger bracket28 contains end of the shaft. Qerably'of bronze, are respectively non-rotatively terial which is softer than the material from which the roller is formed. so that the occurrence of wear takes place upon the lower cylindrical half of the outer periphery of the sleeve bearing means wherefore this periphery will remain semicylindrical and truly conformed to that part of the cylindrical inner periphery of the roller with which it engages. A large constant area of bearing contact surface is thus assured.

With the above objects in view attention is now invited to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view taken through a crawler tractor track frame and axially through a track roller and bearing assembly mounted in this frame.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the roller shaft of the bearing assembly in Fig. 1 and taken as indicated by the irregular line 2-2 in Fig. 1'.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at the line 3-3 in Fig. l, illustrating the position of a lubricant .inlet passage and a lubricant transfer passage'in the roller supporting shaft. -Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken similarly to Fig. 1 but, showing a modified lubricating passagearrangement in the roller-supporting shaft.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the shaft shown in Fig. 4 and taken as indicated by the irregular line 5 5 of-Fig. 4. Y i The track frame shown inFig. 1 is generally designated II and comprisestwo laterally spaced parallel channel members I2 and I3.` Crawler tractorvehicles employ one of these track frames II along. each side where the channel I2 is disposed laterally outermost with. respect tol the vehicle. .Each track frame II carries a plurality oflroll'er supporting shafts I4 spaced lengthwise .thereof and each of these shafts has sleeve-bearing means in the formof axially spaced sleeve bearings I5 and I8 upon which there is journalled track roller I1. trackframes and the vehicle while resting upon alower'most ground-engaging flight of anendless track comprising articulately connected links I8 and I9 which serve as rails.

The roller shaft illustrated in Figs. `1,- 2 and 3 has end extensions 2l and 22which are semicircular in cross section with flat upper lfaces 23 andt24.V These two faces .23 and 24 are held rmly against the fiat under sides of lower flanges bolted to the flanges-25 and 26 by cap screws, not

shown The inner end portion 29 of the bracket 21is'circular and hasl a center hole. 30 for regceiving the outer end of the large diameter portion' ofthe shaft I4.

This portion 29 of the hanger. bracket also contains acavity 3| for re- An annular inneran opening'34 which receives an opposite end of vthe larger diameter portion of the shaft I4 and also has a cavity which contains and holds a sealing element 36. A f

' The shaft I4 embodies-two annular circumscribingy ribs 31 and 38.. A bearing-supporting 'annular surface 39 is formed between the` abutment rib 31 andthe outer end of the shaft whereas a. bearing-supporting annular portion V4I is formedbetween the rib `38 and the inner Bearing sleeves I 5 and I6, prefmounted upon the shaft portions 39 and 4I in abutment with the ribs 31 and 38. Each of these 'sleeve bearings. contains a helical lubricantreceiving groove of which that in the bearing I5 These rollers I1 support the vWith the chamber 53 through a port 65. A third diagonal transfer passage 66 communicates with is designated 42, and that in the bearing I6 is designated 43. The roller I1 is journalled upon the sleeve bearings I5 and I5. Peripheral flanges 44 and 45 of the roller prevent it from moving laterally off of the track lformed by articulately connected links I8 and I9. The recessed outer end of the roller I1 contains and has an annular mounting plate 46 secured thereto by a ring of cap screws 46a. This mounting plate has a sealing ring 41 secured thereto in sliding sealing relation with the sealing element 32. A similar construction at the inner end of the roller i1 includes an annular mounting plate 4B and a sealing ring 49 in sliding sealing engagement with the sealingelement 36.

An annular lubricant-receiving chamber 5I is formed adjacently to the inner end of the shaft I4 where such chamber is bounded by a cylindrical portion of the shaft and the elements 3B, 48 and 49 spaced radially therefrom. A second .annular,lubricant-receiving chamber 52 extends about thegcentral port of the shaft between the ribs 31and 38 and is enclosed by the shaft and the hollow central part of the roller I1. A third annular lubricant receiving chamber 53 is formed near the left or outer end of the shaft i4 between theannular periphery thereof and the elements 32, 46 and 41 spaced radially therefrom; i

A recess 54 in the outerl end of the shaft I4 is normally closed bya threaded plug 55 turned into a threaded section 56 of said recess. A lubricant inle,t passage 5T leads axially inwardlyof the shaft from the bottom of the recess 54 and the outer end of the passage 51 is threaded at 58 to facilitate attachment of a lubricant gun tip in communicative relation with the passage 51 subsequent to removal of the plug 55. The inlet passage v51 communicates with the annular lubricant-receiving chamber 5I at a lower portion thereof. A lubricant -transfer passage 59 extends diagonally downwardly through the shaft .I4 from an upper end or port 6I communicating with an upper portion of the chamber 5I and communicates withv a lower portion of the annularchamber 52 through a port 82. A second diagonal transfer passage 63 communicates with an upper portion of the chamber 52 through a port B4 and leads axially of the shaft and diagonally downwardly therein into communication an-fupper portion of the chamber 53 through a port 61 and leads axially of the shaft and diagonally downwardly therein into communication with' the recess v54 through a port 68.

fter the parts have been assembled, as illustra-ted .ingFig 1, lubricant is introduced into the assembly by unscrewing the plug 55 and attaching the tube of a pressure lubricating device, not shown,. with the threaded part 58 of the passage `5`1. Lubricant. is thenforced inwardly `through thepassage 51 into the lower part of the annular chamber 5I. As the klubricant lever rises air is forced from the chamber 5I outwardly through theitransfer passage 59 until the chamber 5i is substantially lledwhereupon the lubricant will flowy through the chamber 5I and outwardly through the ytransfer passage 59 into the annular chamber52. The bottom of this chamber 52 lls rst and vasthe lubricant rises vin this chamber, air is expelled therefrom through the passage 63 into the lower part of the annular vchamber 53 until the chamber 52 is substantiallynlled with lubricant, whereupon the lubricant will commence to flow downwardly Vthrough thel passage'63 into the lower part of the annular chamber 53. The chamber 53 has the air expelled therefrom through the passage 65 as the lubricant rises in this chamber, and, subsequent to the .filling of this chamber with lubricant,con

tinued forcing of lubricant inwardly through the passage 51 causes discharge of lubricant through the port BB into the recess 54 where it can be detected by the operator to manifest that `the roller and bearing assembly is properly serviced. Thereupon the operator will detach the lubricant pressure device and replace the plug 55. Subsequent periodic servicing` of the assembly is accomplished in the same way. Incident to such servicing the operator can replace a substantial portion of impaired or deteriorated lubricant by forcing it from the bearing assembly pursuant `to forcibly introducing fresh-lubricant to the passage 51.

Although in the complete structure. illustrated in Fig. 1 the passage 59 has been termed a transfer passage for transmitting lubricant from the annular chamber 5| to the annular chamber 52, this passage 59 serves as a lubricant discharge passage for the chamber 5|. Likewise the diagonal passages 63 and 66 serve as discharge passages for the annular chambers 52 and 53, respectively. Collectively the diagonal passages 59, 53 and 66 function as a discharge passage for the annular chamber 5|, and, passages 63 and 66 can be regarded as an outlet passage for the chamber 52. While the component 6B of such outlet passage leads diagonally of the shaft into the recess 54, such component 56 also leads axially of the shaft and in this respect can be referred to as a passage leading axially into the shaft. The inlet passage 51 serves the annular storage chamber 5| and with the diagonal passage 5S serves as an inlet passage for the annular chamber 52. Passage components 51, 59 and B3 collectively form an inlet passage for the annular chamber 53.

The second embodiment, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, differs from that in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 only in the arrangement of passages 51 and 66 which respectively correspond t the passages 51 and 56 in the first embodiment. In this second embodiment the passage 5B is L-shaped with a les |66 leading downwardly from the upper part of the annular chamber 53 into connection with a horizontal leg |61 which is directed horizontally through the bottom of the shaft recess 54. Those parts in the Figs. 4 and 5 embodiment, identical with or corresponding to parts in the first embodiment are designated by the same respective reference characters with the addition of a prime to expedite this disclosure. By using the L-shaped passage 65 it is possible to place the port 68 of the passage E6' at the same elevation as the passage 51 While maintaining the port 61 in an upper peripheral part of the shaft |4 without causing the passage 66 to have critical proximity with the intersection |68 of the upper face 23 with the semi-circular end face |69 of the shaft.

Having thus described a limited number of embodiments of the invention with the view of clearly and concisely illustrating the same, I claim:

l. In a track roller and bearing assembly, a track frame, a horizontal shaft mounted nonrotatably in said frame, said shaft having a lubricant inlet passage extending axially inwardly from an end thereof and a lubricant out- `upon said shaft, a

l chambers formed 6 also extending axially inwardly from the shaft, a sleeve bearing mounted track-engaging vframe-supporting roller journalled upon said sleeve bearing, y there .being annular lubricant receiving betweenthe shaft and roller at opposite ends of said bearing, said inlet passage lef-'Passage said end of communicating with the chamber spaced most distantly from said end of the shaft, said outlet passage' communicating with an upper portionof ,the` chamber less distantly fromsaid end ofthe shafib and a lubricant transfer passage extending diagonally downwardly through the shaft from anvupper portion of the iirst chamber tol a ,lower portion of the second chamber.y

2. For use 1n a trackroller and bearing assembly, a shaft ,having a normally lower side. said shaft also having an annularv bearing supporting surface extending` about -a portion thereof between its ends, a lubricant transfer passage extending ',diagonally;downwardly through the shaft from a positionl adjacently to one end of the bearing supporting surface to a position adjacently to the other end of the bearing supporting surface, said positions at the opposite ends of the diagonal passage being between such bearing supporting surface and respective ends of the shaft, an inlet passage leading from one end of the shaft to the lower side thereof in substantial circumferential registration with the upper end of the diagonal passage, and an outlet passage for communication with the lower end of the diagonal passage and including a portion extending into the shaft from said one end thereof.

3. For use in a track roller and bearing assembly, a shaft having a normally lower side. said shaft also having an annular bearing supporting surface extending about a portion thereof between its ends, a lubricant transfer passage having an upper end adjacently to the upper side of the shaft between an end of the shaft and one end of the bearing supporting surface and extending diagonally downwardly through the shaft where such passage has a lower end adjacently to but outwardly from the opposite end of the bearing supporting surface, a lubricant inlet passage leading inwardly from one end of the shaft and emerging therefrom at a lower side thereof at a position in substantially circumferential registration with the upper end of the diagonal passage; and lubricant discharge passage means including a passage in said shaft and having an end communicating with an upper side of the shaft in substantial registration with the lower end of the diagonal passage circumferentially of the shaft, and said discharge passage having an outlet communicating with said one end of the shaft.

4. A track roller shaft having upper and lower sides extending lengthwise thereof, a bearing supporting portion extending about an intermediate portion of the shaft, lubricant-chamber wall forming portions circumscribing the shaft at opposite ends of the bearing-supporting portion, a diagonal passage leading downwardly through the shaft from an upper end of one of the wall forming portions to the other Wall forming portions, an inlet passage extending axially inwardly through an end of the shaft and emerging therefrom at the lower side thereof in the one chamber wall forming portion; and lubricant discharge passage means including a channel portion leading into the shaft through the upper side thereof at the other chamber wall fagemgoe spaced bearing supporting surfaces Yextending 'thereabout a `central lubricantchamber-wall forming-portion extending about the sha'ftbetween the bearing supporting surfaces-:land iannular lubricant-chamber wall forming portions extending about the shaftrespecti/e atftheo'uter Aends of the bearing supporting surfaces,'a'l ubri cant inlet passage extending inwardly through an end of the shaft and emerging therefromat the lower side in the annular walll forming-portion most distantly'from said endof the-shaft, Y

and -alubrican't outlet passage including vapassage Aportion extending diagonally downwardly through the shaft from the upperside thereof 'at a point of Aregistration with said mostdi'st'ant wall forming portion through the'lower side ofthe shaft atapoint 'of registration with the central'wall forming portion, a second diagcnalpa'ssage Aportion extending diagonally downwardly vthrough the shaft froma. position at theupper side thereof in registration with thecentral wall "forming portion through 'the vlower side of the shaft inregistration withth'e other annular wall forming portion adjacently 'tothe one'end'of the shaft, and a passage portion extending through -the-shaft'and communicating between'the upper sid'eiof said other annular chamber wall forming 'portion and said end of the shaft.

4vWILLIAM O. BECHMAN.

Y REFERENCES CITED The following referenees are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number .Name Date 501,657 Palmer July 18,'.1893 1,161,905 Stewart Nov. '30, 1915 2,394,889 Blanchardf Feb. 12,1946 

